Engineered wood floor on floorboards - high moisture reading

[happypeter]

Hi,

I was hoping to install an engineered wooden floor but the instructions state the floorboards should have have a moisture reading of no more than 14%. Most of the downstairs is fine but our hallway floor reads 18%

Am I stuffed? can anything be done?

thanks

 

[crazydaze]

What is the subfloor in the Hallway?

 

[happypeter]

The hallway is oak, the rest of the downstairs is standard softwood floorboards.

 

[KenGMac]

Could it be that foot traffic, Wet Feet passing into the house has caused the slightly higher reading?? Did you take your readings during or just after a rain storm??

Ken.

 

[happypeter]

Could it be that foot traffic, Wet Feet passing into the house has caused the slightly higher reading?? Did you take your readings during or just after a rain storm??

Ken.

No I've been taking the reading for a few weeks hoping the levels would drop after removing floor coverings

 

[JohnD]

A leak under the floor, or in a drain on the other side of the wall, is quite common.

Have you lifted some floorboards and had a look?

How old is the house?

 

[KenGMac]

As JohnD above, in older properties earth floors are very common in the "Solum" also what can happen is that the entrance hall is difficult to fully ventilate below floor level.

The rooms on each side of the hall have external air bricks, but the movement of air under he hall floor is at times restricted / slow / low?

Another consideration is that the hall has very intermittent ventilation, only when the front door is opened?

Both above are possibilities?

Ken.

 

[happypeter]

rooms on each side of the hall have external air bricks, but the movement of air under he hall floor is at times restricted

So I lifted a up few boards. The main house has about 70cm space under the joists onto dirt. The hall about 10cm space under joists down to what looks like concrete. I can't see any signs of damp but I guess it must be lack of airflow as you said.

There is only one air brick for the hall and 4 for the rest of the house

 

[happypeter]

How old is the house?

1930s house, standard semi

 

[JohnD]

at that age, you may have an iron supply pipe that could be leaking at a joint or elbow.

It probably runs from the pavement or outside stopcock, next to where the front gate used to be when the house was built, to the indoor stopcock underneath where the kitchen sink used to be when the house was built.

Does this correspond with your area of damp?

 

[happypeter]

leak under the floor, or in a drain on the other side of the wall

On further inspection the dirt under the joists does feel a little moist next to the drain. I guess this would point a drain issue.

Kinda wished I hadn't looked now hehe

 

[JohnD]

please photograph this drain, including the ground, paving or concrete around it, and especially any signs of repair, patching, cracking or sinking.

 

[happypeter]

Drain and soil pipe